Finnair status match for SAS members

I had never expected SAS Eurobonus to be so popular. Lufthansa, Norwegian and almost the entire Star Alliance have offered their members status match opportunities in succession, and now it’s Finnair to make a move.

You can view details on Finnair’s promotion here.

• Book eligible flight(s) and apply between September 16 and 30
• Eurobonus Silver matches to Finnair Plus Silver (Oneworld Ruby)
• Eurobonus Gold and above matches to Finnair Plus Gold (Oneworld Sapphire)
• Apply by email
• Applications are reviewed within 14 days and once approved the membership is valid for one year

Yes, the match isn’t free as you must buy at least one flight ticket first.

• You need to book two one-ways or one return
• Must be AY coded and operated by Finnair
• Travel by December 15
• All long-haul routes are included
• Short-haul routes from/to Norway, Denmark and Sweden are included
• Economy Superlight and award tickets are excluded

Economy Superlight is the cheapest economy bucket on Finnair’s European routes, which includes only a small carry-on baggage like the budget airlines. If you intend to book with travel agencies make sure the ticket includes check-in baggage to avoid disappointment.

As they’ve highlighted in the examples, a flight with stopover (e.g. Oslo – Helsinki – London) only counts as a one-way and thus doesn’t meet the requirement. I believe the least costly option would be a return ticket between Helsinki and Norway / Denmark / Sweden, which starts at ~£130:

They’ve also made it clear that you cannot cancel the ticket or change it to after the promotion ends or your status may be forfeited. There’s no mention of no-show however, so you may not need to actually fly.

Given the flight cost, I don’t think Silver match makes much sense unless your travel plan aligns. Finnair Gold however, opens a whole world of benefits including free seat selection, extra baggage allowance, fast track and lounge access when you fly British Airways, American Airlines, Qatar Airways, Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific, so quite valuable.